Spectra Named First-Ever Private Manager of Dallas’ Convention Center
March 1, 2019
Venue management and hospitality company Spectra will become the new provider of venue management for Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, effective April 1. This marks the first time in the center’s history that it will be run by a private operator.
The City of Dallas City Council unanimously approved this partnership. Spectra will focus on short-term bookings, taking over a role historically maintained by City of Dallas employees. Visit Dallas will emphasize bookings 18 months out or more at KBHCCD, in addition to other venues in the city.
“Partnering with Spectra is going to help Visit Dallas continue its best-in-class, customer-focused service, and its addition gives us new, meaningful ways to spotlight our city as a must-visit destination,” said Phillip Jones, president and CEO of Visit Dallas.
He added, “We look forward to introducing Spectra to a new crop of meeting planners, while also rekindling relationships with conventions that have visited Dallas in the past.”
KBHCCD welcomes more than 1 million visitors annually and has 1 million square feet of exhibit space.
Day-to-day operations at KBHCCD will be managed by Spectra to increase revenue and improve the client experience. Upcoming tasks include evaluating current booking practices and space availability, making changes to ensure optimal efficiency, and committing additional resources to Visit Dallas’ marketing efforts.
The company will leverage existing relationships and operational standards to benefit the center when negotiating contracts and pricing.
“We’re eager to roll up our sleeves and get started,” said Dave Anderson, Spectra’s senior vice president of convention centers. “Spectra is heavily invested in Dallas and appreciates everything the city and Visit Dallas have done to position the city and surrounding community in the international marketplace.
He continued, “We look forward to working in concert with the city and Visit Dallas to align the convention center with the city’s amazing assets to show meeting planners all that Dallas has to offer.”
Read more on the latest with Visit Dallas here.
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Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started.
Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind.
“Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for."
What’s New – AT&T Discovery District
Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall.
Hotels Coming Soon
Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond.
JW Marriott
This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar.
InterContinental Dallas
Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.
Hotel Swexan
Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.
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